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right…hand　side　place　a　plus　sign。　Under　the　minus　sign；　write　
out　the　very　worst　thing　that　could　happen　to　you；　if　you　were　
to　follow　through　with　your　idea。　On　the　right…hand　side；　write　
out　all　the　good　things…the　very　best　things…that　could　happen　
to　you；　if　you　were　to　go　ahead　with　your　plan。　Clearly　
understand；　that　so　long　as　what　you　plan　to　do　is　honest　and　
honorable；　whatever　goes　on　the　left…hand　side　of　the　page　is　
not　going　to　be　disastrous。　On　the　other　hand；　however；　what　
goes　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　page　could　turn　out　to　be　
absolutely　magnificent。　

Therefore；　by　creating　the　balance　sheet　in　this　manner；　
you　are　demonstrating　to　yourself；　for　your　own　edification；　
the　fact　you　actually　have　〃nothing　to　lose。〃　It　has　already　
been　brought　to　your　attention　numerous　times　in　this　book；　
that　simply　〃missing　the　mark；〃　does　not　make　you　a　failure；　it　
only　means　that　your　plan　did　not　work　out　as　you　had　
anticipated。　So　even　if　you　should　lose　everything　you　own；　
you　still　retain　the　capacity　to　bounce　back；　to　try　once　again。　

For　several　years　now　I　have　been　in　the　habit　of　reading　
the　biographies　and　autobiographies；　of　men　and　women　who　
have　truly　accomplished　〃something　of　significance〃　in　their　
lifetime。　I　have　found；　moreover；　that　almost　without　
exception；　these　individuals　had　fallen　short　of　their　goals　on　
numerous　occasions；　but　that　never　deterred　them！　Indeed；　I　
myself　have　experienced　〃failure　to　hit　the　mark；〃　on　a　number　
of　occasions；　and　I　will　readily　admit　it　hurts　a　little　and　it　
even　causes　a　certain　amount　of　embarrassment。　But　be　that　
as　it　may；　it　has　never　stopped　me　from　trying　again　and　it　
need　not　stop　you　either；　because　we　all　possess　the　ability　to　
get　up　and　get　going　once　again。　Therefore；　this　very　moment；　
make　up　your　mind　that　you　are　going　to　become　the　〃Risk…
Taker〃　you　truly　wish　to　become。　


The　Razor's　Edge　


You　are　only　one　inch　。。。　one　step　。。。　
one　idea　。。。　away　from　turning　
onto　the　boulevard　of　beauty　
in　your　own　life。　

It　has　often　been　said　the　line　which　separates　winning　
from　losing　is　as　fine　as　a　razor's　edge　…　and　it　is。　（I　am　talking　
about　winning　in　a　big　way　and　in　all　areas　of　your　life。）　

W。　Somerset　Maugham　wrote　an　entire　book　entitled　The　
Razor's　Edge；　and　Daryl　F。　Zanuck　spent　four　million　dollars　
producing　a　movie　which　had　the　same　title。　Both　of　these　
great　men…author　and　movie　maker　alike…knew　there　wasn't　a　
big　difference　among　people；　there　was　only　a　big　difference　in　
the　things　they　accomplished。　（That　was　the　theme　of　the　
movie　as　well　as　the　book。）　

One　person　〃just　about〃　starts　a　project；　the　other　person　
starts　it。　One　individual　〃almost〃　completes　a　task；　the　other　
does　complete　it。　One　person　sees　an　opportunity；　the　other　
acts　on　it。　One　student　〃nearly〃　passes　the　exam；　the　other　
does　pass　it…and　although　the　difference　in　their　marks　may　be　
only　one　percentage　point　out　of　a　hundred；　it's　that　one　point　
that　makes　all　the　difference。　

The　annals　of　sport's　history　are　rich　with　dramatic　
illustrations　of　the　Razor's　Edge　concept。　For　example；　at　the　
1976　Olympic　games　in　Montreal；　Canada；　there　were　eight　
finalists　competing　in　the　one…hundred　meter　dash；　but　the　
runner　who　won　the　Olympic　gold　medal　was　only　one…tenth　of　
a　second　faster　than　the　runner　who　finished　in　last　place。　

In　1947；　ARMED　…the　first　race　horse　in　the　history　of　
United　States'　racing　to　win　over　one　million　dollars　in　prize　
money　over　the　duration　of　his　career…had　earnings　of　
761；500。　But　the　horse　which　finished　second　in　earnings　
that　same　year…a　horse　which　often　lost　races　a　mile　long　by　


only　〃a　nose〃…won　only　75；000。　Now；　if　one　were　to　look　at　
their　winnings　alone；　it　would　appear　that　ARMED　was　
thirteen　times　better　than　his　closest　competitor。　However；　
when　you　compare　〃the　times〃　that　were　actually　registered　by　
those　two　horses　in　their　races；　you　discover　he　really　wasn't　
even　four　percent　superior！　

Now；　you　may　have　grown　up　with　the　idea　that　some　
people　have　it　and　some　people　don't。　Or；　because　some　people　
are　much　better　than　others；　they　enjoy　much　more　of　the　
abundance　of　life。　But　I　want　you　to　understand；　right　here　
and　now；　this　idea　is　absolutely　false！　For　you　are　every　bit　as　
good；　or　as　powerful；　as　anyone　you　see；　know；　or　even　hear　
about。　Remember；　since　the　difference　between　them　and　you　
is　only　in　the　area　of　accomplishments；　and　since　there　is　
something　you　can　do　that　will　vastly　improve　the　results　you　
are　achieving　presently；　you　have　the　potential　to　become　even　
more　successful　than　they　are。　You　may　already　know　how　to　
do　what　others　are　doing　（if　you　don't；　you　can　learn）；　and　
since　your　potential　power　is　unlimited；　you　can　do　even　
greater　things　than　they　are　now　doing。　

The　〃something〃　that　you　must　do　to　become　more　
successful　may　not　be　what　you　think　it　is。　But　whatever　it　
may　be；　rest　assured；　you　are　quite　capable　of　doing　it。　Always　
bear　in　mind；　however；　that　because　each　person's　world　is　
just　a　little　bit　different；　the　something　which　you　must　do　is　
not　necessarily　the　same　thing　the　person　you　live　with　or　
work　with；　must　do。　Nevertheless；　there　is　no　question　that　
you　will　eventually　find　out　what　it　is　that　you　must　do。　So　
make　up　your　mind…immediately…when　you　do　figure　out　what　
that　Razor's　Edge　is　for　you；　you　will　do　it。　

Heinz　Daues'　Story　

As　I　was　writing　this　chapter；　a　very　dear　friend　of　mine…
Heinz　Daues…telephoned　to　thank　me　for　an　idea　I　had　given　
him。　But　before　I　let　you　in　on　what　that　idea　was；　permit　me　
to　give　you　some　background　information。　Heinz　Daues　works　
for　a　large　insurance　company　in　Toronto　and　every　October　


his　company　holds　a　contest　which　is　referred　to　as；　〃A　
President's　Month。〃　All　of　the　salespeople　in　the　company　
〃gear〃　themselves　up　for　this　contest　and　they　each　perform　at　
their　peak　level　of　productivity。　Their　reward；　if　they　should　
win　the　contest；　is　both　fame　and　fortune。　（The　company　
always　recognizes　its　proven　leaders。）　

As　he　does　every　year；　Heinz　had　an　exceptional　
〃President's　Month。〃　But；　in　keeping　with　his　practice　of　
previous　years；　he　was　planning　to　〃relax　a　bit〃　in　November；　
or　at　least　to　revert　to　what　he　considered　to　be　〃normal　
production。〃　As　I　was　talking　to　him　one　afternoon；　however；　I　
noticed　that　his　usual　high　degree　of　enthusiasm　had　levelled　
off　considerably。　I　knew　something　was　amiss；　so　I　asked　him　
what　was　bothering　him。　He　then　explained　he　was　
experiencing　a　〃big　let　down；〃　now　that　his　〃big　month〃　had　
come　to　an　end。　In　an　attempt　to　raise　Heinz's　spirits；　I　asked　
him　the　following　question：　〃Heinz；　what　would　you　do　with　
the　extra　commission　you　would　earn；　if　you　were　to　repeat　
your　October　performance　in　November？〃　（He　actually　earned　
three　times　his　usual　monthly　income　in　October。）　

Seeing　the　true　meaning　behind　my　question；　Heinz's　
face　brightened　considerably　and　a　broad　smile　appeared　
across　his　face。　Then　I　quickly　added；　〃We　both　know　you　are　
quite　〃capable〃　of　repeating　your　October　performance　in　
November；　there　is　absolutely　no　question　about　that。〃　By　this　
time　Heinz　had　become　thoroughly　convinced；　that　not　only　
was　he　capable　of　repeating　his　performance；　but　he　definitely　
would　repeat　it。　He　said；　with　his　customary　confidence　and　
vigor　fully　restored；　〃All　right　Bob；　I'm　going　to　do　it。〃　

The　Razor's　Edge　…　he　did　it　…　Heinz　Daues　beat　his　own　
record　of　October　in　November！　Think　of　the　difference　this　will　
make　in　his　annual　income；　not　to　mention　his　standing　in　the　
company。　You　just　know　he　will　duplicate　or　better　his　
performance　next　November；　following　〃President's　Month。〃　

The　〃something〃　for　Heinz　Daues　turned　out　to　be　
nothing　more　sophisticated；　than　deciding　to　do　the　same　


thing　in　November；　which　he　had　already　done　in　October。　
Perhaps　you　are　saying　to　yourself；　〃anyone　could　have　figured　
that　out；〃　and　you're　right…they　could　have。　But　there　are　a　few　
thousand　people　selling　for　the　same　company　that　Heinz　sells　
for　and　I'll　bet　you　〃dollars　to　donuts；〃　there　weren't　five　others　
who　did！　

Vince　Lombardi；　former　football　coach　of　the　outstanding　
Green　Bay　Packers　football　team；　described　the　Razor's　Edge　
concept　in　football　very　well　when　he　said；　〃Most　games　are　
won　or　lost　in　the　last　two　minutes　of　the　first　and　second　
half。〃　But　what　Lombardi　is　best　remembered　for…with　respect　
to　football's　Razor's　Edge…is　the　〃Second　Effort〃　concept；　which　
he　introduced　for　the　edification　of　his　players。　In　a　nutshell；　
the　〃Second　Effort〃　concept　simply　meant；　that　when　a　player　
was　initially　stopped　by　the　opposing　team；　he　would　always　
surge　forward　a　second　time；　with　the　added　thrust　of　a　
〃second　effort。〃　

Now；　just　consider　the　tremendous　difference　you　could　
create　in　your　own　life　if　you　were　to　adopt　a　similar　mental　
attitude。　For　example；　if　you　are　a　person　who　is　working　in　
sales　and　currently　selling　only　three　units　a　week；　what　
would　the　consequences　be　fo